Jack Johnson vs Joe Louis

Joe might take him late, but Jack had enought technical savvy to decision Joe.

 

Jack may have been jealous of Joe but he also thought little of his abilities. Its funny that the very things he thought so wrong about Joe, like his stance and footwork, were so text book while Jack's were questionable. I wonder if Jack could have got into Joe's head, I think he would have picked off most of Joe's arsenal and don't know if he had a big enough one himself to get the win.

 

I'm not sure how many of Jack's opponents knew how to throw the simplest of combinations. Film study sure doesn't flatter them. Now consider he would be facing the best combo throwing heavyweight in the history of the division, one who threw with lightning speed, concussive power and precision placement. Parrying single shot haymakers from left field is a decidedly different undertaking than eluding efficient 5 punch combinations.

I would put all my money, and all the money I could beg, borrow and steal, on Louis.

 

It is so hard for me to choose any heavyweight ever in a H2H fight against Joe Louis in his prime, but Jack Blackburn, Joe Louis's great trainer and mentor had his opinion worth listening to...In a conversation with a close friend of Joe Louis, Blackburn who
absolutely despised Jack Johnson said that "were the two, Johnson and Louis have
fought each other, Johnson would have beat Joe Louis ". So did Nat Fleischer agree, calling Jack Johnson ,best heavyweight ever...I disagree, but what do I know ?.

 

No, Burt, Blackburn did not say this.

I have the 1938 interview with Blackbun and if you read it closely he actually shades toward Louis winning. I have tired of quoting this interview but it flies in the face of the old yarn of Blackburn picking Johnson.

 

Could you please name the source? It sounds like a very interesting read...

 

I believe it was from an Ohio newspaper. I have quoted more than a few times here. I will look for it later.

 

You make very valid points which should not be dismissed , I see Johnson spoiling his way to a win or Louis connecting with the salvo that does the job. I lean towards Jack by boring decision.

No way would I be betting more than a pittance on this fight.

 

S, respectfully, I CERTAINLY read this quote of a statement that Jack Blackburn confided to a close friend in a training camp of one of Louis's bouts...It was in a boxing book I don't have access to right now, but I will try to track it down. If I recall the author makes mention of a prior
opinion that Louis would have beaten Johnson that you now allude to.
I only state what I read in that book saying Blackburn changed his opinion...

 

He thought pleanty of his abilities, before Louis refused to hire him as a trainer.

Even so, he did identify the fact that Louis was vulnerable to a right.

 

It is comical to see how people have built up Johnson as some unbeatable force. Louis destroys him.

 

Johnson wouldn't show up.

 

Burt, I have quoted this piece so many times here… I will look it up later… but trust me, Blackburn picks Louis. And if he changed his mind he must have done it awful quick because he died a couple years after the interview.

 

Janitor, the words I saw in various publications over the years quoted Jack as saying Joe was a programmed robot, that his foot work was all wrong, that he was wide open to right hands, etc.